OUR CONGREGATION’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Update: Tuesday, 3/17/2020. 2:45pm.

All worship services at St. John-St. Peter Lutheran Church have been cancelled until further notice.

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At today’s Department of Health Services of Wisconsin, Governor Evers announced a moratorium on public gatherings of more than 10 people, following the recommendations of the CDC and our President.

Out of respect and obedience to our government and out of love and concern for the health and well-being of our neighbors, we are choosing to follow the moratorium at this time and suspend our public worship.

We encourage all our members to remain faithful in prayer and in personal Bible Study and to find ways to remember the Sabbath day within their own families. In the coming days we will work to provide spiritual assistance to our members and community with the tools available.

May God bless our community effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

In Christ,Pastor Steven WallPresident Ken Vogel

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God is our refuge and strength,a helper who can always be found in times of trouble.That is why we will not fear when the earth dissolvesand when the mountains tumble into the heart of the sea.Psalm 46:1-2 (EHV)

Update: Tuesday, 3/17/2020. 1:15 pm.

Chime choir and choir practices have been cancelled.

For the health and safety of our members, and due to the uncertainty of upcoming services, there will be no chime choir practice Tuesday evenings or choir practice Wednesday evenings until further notice.

UPDATE: Tuesday, 3/17/2020. 12:00pm.

We have decided to cancel the Wednesday evening Lenten meal tomorrow. There will be NO meal at 5:30 on March 18.

As of right now we still plan to hold worship at 6:30. However, this is still subject to change as our church leadership discusses what is an appropriate response to the governor’s mandate and the recommendations of the CDC.

Saturday, March 14, 2020

What We Know

God is our Help in trouble. In Psalm 46, we are reminded that it is God who is our refuge and strength, and our ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, let us not fear, but with confidence use this opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus through our prayers and our care for others. We offer this update to you to help convey our pastoral concern and common-sense plans.

Public health should be taken seriously: COVID-19 is an aggressive virus, and it affects different people in different ways. People at highest risk include those who are 60+ years old, women who are pregnant, or those who have underlying health issues. Due to the rapid way that this virus spreads, the Wisconsin Department of Public Health has recommended organizations like ours to exercise a great deal of caution, especially in large-group gatherings.

What We’re Doing

Limiting contact: As we gather in worship, we have identified a few simple ways that we can limit contact. For the next few weeks, we are planning:

To avoid passing offering plates and friendship registers. We will have offering plates at the back of the church.

To avoid hand-shaking and physical contact by ushers, greeters, and pastors.

To continue communing only by individual communion cups.

Keeping clean: Throughout the weeks ahead, we want to assure you that we are doing as much as possible to maintain a clean and safe campus. We are increasing our efforts, including:

Cleaning surfaces, hymnals, and bibles before all services

Frequent hand-washing by Pastors, Ushers, and Communion Distributors

Providing hand sanitizer (when available)

Gathering and sharing information: As information continues to be shared by our state and local officials, we will be working hard to keep you updated as quickly as possible via email, our website, and our facebook page.

What you can do

Pray: God invites his people to call on him in every trouble. Join with us in praying continually, particularly for the health of our community, the safety of all the afflicted, the efforts of local, national, and international leaders, and the well-being of all those who are engaged in combating this disease. “Our Father in heaven…your will be done!”

Make worship choices that are best for you: While we are still committed to gathering as a Christian congregation, it is important that you carefully evaluate your personal risk factors for the virus. If you choose to stay home, we encourage you worship from home. One good option is Time of Grace.